Rapid Progress

Five months later, a youth clad in fitted martial attire was wrestling with a bluestone half his height.

The youth gathered all the strength in his body and slammed a fist into the bluestone. Cracks spread from beneath his fist, eventually covering nearly half the stone's surface.

Bang!

A hidden force detonated within the bluestone. Unable to withstand it any longer, the stone split apart into more than a dozen pieces of varying sizes, displaying the results of the youth's months of training.

"Phew... I've finally cultivated the first hidden force of Eight Extremes Collapse."

The youth was none other than Xiao Yan. Although he had already reached the peak and perfect completion of Seven Stage Dou Qi, standing half a step into Eight Stage Dou Qi, that punch had still drained all the Dou Qi from his body.

His right hand, which had struck the bluestone directly, trembled slightly as well, weakened from throwing that punch.

"A Dou Technique of this level should be enough to train someone all the way to Dou Ling, right? If all eight hidden forces were transformed into flames, gale winds, and the like, even Dou Wangs and Dou Emperors would need months to master it."

"Why else do you think I collected it? If you ever have the chance to obtain multiple Heavenly Flames in the future, you could punch eight different flames directly into your opponent. Its power would be even more terrifying—perhaps even Earth-tier High-grade Dou Techniques would not compare to Eight Extremes Heavenly Flame Collapse."

"So the cultivation methods you threw at me, Teacher—do they all have matching Dou Techniques that, when used together, rival Earth Grade Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques?"

"Mm. You're teachable."

"No wonder. After my father completed the conversion of his cultivation method, he already broke through two stars. If he takes a few pills suitable for Da Dou Shis, he'll probably break through to Dou Ling and dominate Wutan City."

"Quit trying to butter me up. In a tiny city like this, once you break through to Dou Zhe and become a First Grade Alchemist, that'll be enough for your family to dominate it."

"Dou Zhe... it's too difficult. Foundation Building Spirit Liquid barely has any noticeable effect on me now. I'm afraid it'll take another half year before I can break through to Dou Zhe."

"...Take this!"

Old Yao sent the smug brat sprawling with a slap, and his mood immediately improved considerably.

"You can now try preparing the most basic medicinal liquids—ungraded, but with low requirements."

"Now that you've gotten started with Eight Extremes Collapse, spend the next half year preparing medicinal liquids and familiarizing yourself with alchemy! Perhaps you'll break the historical record of the Dou Qi Continent and become a First Grade Alchemist before becoming a Dou Zhe?"

After dangling that tempting prospect before him, Old Yao hastily made up several basic pill recipes, tossed them to Xiao Yan, and vanished.

"Blood Coagulating Powder, applied externally to stop bleeding and promote flesh regeneration; Detoxifying Agent, removes toxins from snakes and insects; virility enhan—"

Xiao Yan was utterly speechless. The old man might as well have written the words "shameless old lecher" across his face.

"Heh, kid, you're still too young. Those pills for treating external wounds or detoxifying poison are usually only needed by mercenaries risking their lives. They trade their lives for money—do you expect them to spend much of it on pills?"

"Only those who can afford to eat their fill have spare money to spend. For pills that greatly nourish the body and produce immediate results, they'll absolutely be willing to pay several times the price."

"Mm... I remember the Ao Ba Family seems to have some gray-market business in that area. I'll discuss it with my father and see whether we can use this opportunity to ally with the Ao Ba Family and swallow up the Jia Lie Family's businesses."

"...You adapted rather quickly, didn't you?"

"Of course. How can we alchemists make money if we don't throw away our consciences?"

"What do you mean, make money by cheating people! You're asking for a beating!"

"Ah!"

When Xiao Yan handed the pill recipes to Xiao Zhan and told him that he needed these medicinal herbs, he received Xiao Zhan's roundabout concern.

After explaining himself repeatedly and finally convincing Xiao Zhan that there was nothing wrong with his body, Xiao Yan was at last able to bring up the matter of dominating Wutan City.

"Yan'er, you don't need to worry about such things. Just focus on your cultivation. Our Xiao Family still has some resources." Xiao Zhan patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and said with a carefree smile.

Why did that sound so much like, Just focus on your studies and leave everything else alone? Xiao Yan silently nodded.

The days that followed changed somewhat. Xiao Yan stopped training Eight Extremes Collapse and instead spent his Dou Qi on the consumption required for alchemy.

Xiao Zhan also went to discuss cooperation with the Ao Ba Family in detail. They planned to use healing medicine and detoxifying agents to attract mercenaries and seize the Marketplace business in Wutan City, while trading virility enhancers to the Ao Ba Family for low-priced medicinal herbs and joining forces against the Jia Lie Family.

There was no helping it. Over the past half year, the Xiao Family's expenses had truly exceeded its income. Xiao Yan's medicine cauldron alone had cost several hundred thousand Gold Coins. If they did not find a way to increase their income, the Xiao Family would go bankrupt.

Thus, Xiao Yan began a tedious life of alchemy: two hours of alchemy every morning until all his Dou Qi was exhausted, followed by cultivation; another two hours of alchemy in the afternoon until his Dou Qi was exhausted; and at night...

Because Xiao Yan's Soul Power was extremely strong, he basically achieved a perfect success rate with these ungraded pills.

Under Xiao Yan's workhorse-like efforts, the Xiao Family gradually recovered, bringing in money by the bucketful and earning a fortune.

In the blink of an eye, another five months passed. Xiao Yan consumed another set of eight pills, and his Dou Qi broke through to the peak of Nine Stage. He was only one Qi Gathering Powder away from becoming a Dou Zhe.

Xiao Yan's alchemy skills had also improved considerably. He had successfully refined several First Grade Pills, Stone Skin Pills and Muscle Growth Pills, for internal use among the Xiao Family's Dou Zhes to strengthen the family.

According to Old Yao, once Xiao Yan broke through to Dou Zhe, he could begin attempting to refine Second Grade Pills.

According to the timeline, Nalan Yanran would come to annul the engagement in another month. Xiao Yan had been well protected by the Xiao Family; his last public appearance had been at last year's clan test, when he possessed only Four Stage Dou Qi.

Theoretically, upon hearing "Four Stage Dou Qi," anyone would feel that Xiao Yan was holding Nalan Yanran back.

With the Misty Cloud Sect pushing for it and the Nalan Family tacitly permitting it, the annulment should be inevitable.

At this time, Xiao Yan was considering whether he should go along with the situation and dissolve the engagement, or declare, "Thirty Years East of the River, Thirty Years West of the River—do not bully the poor youth!"

After thinking it over, Xiao Yan ultimately decided to let her do as she pleased. Nalan Yanran's talent was only average. Even if she joined the Flower Sect in the future, she might not be able to break through to Dou Zun. Other than the master-disciple angle, there was nothing particularly tempting about her.

As for the Nalan Family, at worst, he could cure that Dou Wang's poison someday. That would be enough to repay him.

Having decided how to deal with Nalan Yanran, Xiao Yan took the pill recipe for Qi Gathering Powder to Xiao Zhan.

Xiao Zhan was naturally overjoyed. His son had gone from Four Stage Dou Qi to Dou Zhe in less than a year. Xiao Zhan dared to beat his chest and say that throughout the entire Jia Ma Empire, there was no genius greater than Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan thought of Gu Xun'er, humored his father with a few words, then returned to his room to await news.

The very next day, Xiao Zhan prepared three sets of medicinal herbs. Old Yao used one set and refined a Qi Gathering Powder with a Pill Pattern.

Having experienced a breakthrough once before, and with Soul Power exceeding that of an ordinary Da Dou Shi, Xiao Yan swallowed the Qi Gathering Powder with a Pill Pattern and returned to one-star Dou Zhe without any suspense.